SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 KA

Catalina

Catalina follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.999 carries it from 5.4 AU at perihelion out to 10,341 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 79
Orbital Period · P
372,061 yr
v(q)
18.1 km/s
v(Q)
0 km/s
TJ
-0.71
Eccentricity · e
0.999

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (5.4 AU) and its farthest (10,341 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 10,335 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 372,061 yr (135,895,145 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 5,173.0 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.999) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 104.6° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 18.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 0 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = -0.71, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

Neither a measured diameter nor a reliable absolute magnitude is available for Catalina, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 79 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5807 arcseconds.

About these computed values

Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Orbital Parameters

Semi-Major Axis
5173.0 AU
Eccentricity
0.999
Perihelion
5.4 AU
Aphelion
10340.827 AU
Inclination
104.63°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457557.5
Mean Anomaly
0.0°

Orbit diagram

The Sun sits at the focus (orange). Earth's orbit is the grey circle at 1 AU. The red dot marks the object's position at the catalog epoch.

3D orbit (interactive)

Drag to rotate; scroll or pinch to zoom. The Sun is at the focus (orange), Earth's orbit is the grey ring at 1 AU, and the red dot marks the object's current position.

Close approaches

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
—

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.58068
Condition
—
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

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